Wet, snowy weather in Sask. could end harvest prematurely

The mix of rain and snow across Saskatchewan will hinder the efforts of farmers trying to complete harvest.

“It’s another huge delay,” said Kevin Hursh, an agricultural journalist and consultant who farms near Cabri, in southwestern part of the province.

According the latest crop report by the Ministry of Agriculture, seventy per cent of the harvest is complete.

But Hursh said many producers are way behind the provincial average and realize there are few good days left to harvest.

“There’s areas and farmers that are all done harvest. There are producers with a lot of harvest yet to do and progress in the past few weeks has been very slow and sporadic,” he said on the Brent Loucks Show Tuesday. “It creates a sense of urgency,” said Hursh.

Hursh said canola will be able to withstand the wet conditions better than wheat and durum crops.

Although salvaging what’s left could be more difficult if standing crops are flattened by the snow.

But Hursh said farmers may still be able to get back out on their fields.

“Even at this time of year, if we can get back to some 12 and 14 degree days — four, five, six days after a major rainfall event, things can start coming around.”